News RSSwww.visitwilliston.comOur RSS feed.Copyright 2011 by us. All rights reserved.Homecoming Celebrations for Miss America 2018<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">A Homecoming Celebration for Miss America 2018, Cara Mund, will be held on November 3<sup>rd</sup> in Williston and November 4<sup>th</sup> in Bismarck.<br />
Mund, who was crowned Miss North Dakota 2017 in June in Williston, is the first representative from North Dakota to be crowned Miss America.<br />
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She is a Bismarck native, and won the title on September 10<sup>th</sup> in Atlantic City, NJ.<br />
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The Schedule of Events for the Homecoming Celebration is as follows:<br />
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November 3<sup>rd</sup> in Williston, ND:<br />
The Introduction of Miss America 2018 Cara Mund and Coronation of Miss North Dakota 2017, Lizzie Jensen will take place at 6:00pm at the Bakken Auditorium.<br />
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Immediately following this ceremony, at 7:30pm, a Public Reception will be held in the Phil Jackson Fieldhouse.<br />
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Tickets for this event are $10 for Adults and $5 for Students. Attendees may choose to attend one or both of the events listed above. &nbsp;Tickets can be purchased online at missnorthdakota.org, in person at the Williston Visitor&rsquo;s Center, or at the event.<br />
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November 4<sup>th</sup> in Bismarck, ND:<br />
A Welcome Home Party sponsored by Dakota Community Bank &amp; Trust will be held at the Bismarck Event Center for Miss America 2018 Cara Mund.<br />
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Tickets for this event are $10 for Adults and $5 for Students. They may be purchased online by visiting missnorthdakota.org, in person at the Bismarck Event Center, or at the event.<br />
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Other guests expected to be recognized or perform at Homecoming Events will be Miss America&rsquo;s Outstanding Teen, Jessica Baeder, Runners Up from the Miss America Competition, including Miss Missouri, Miss New Jersey, Miss District of Columbia, and Miss Texas, along with Miss North Dakota 2017 Lizzie Jensen, Miss North Dakota&rsquo;s Outstanding Teen 2017, Sydney Helgeson and other state representatives. State and Local Officials, and Forever Miss North Dakotas will also be in attendance.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/MissAmerica2018/10/13/2017 12:00:00 AMPaddlefish Season Opens May 1<span style="color:rgb(70, 70, 70); font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:14px">2017 Paddlefish Season Opens May 1 near Williston, North Dakota</span><br />
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<span style="color:rgb(70, 70, 70); font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:14px">The 2017 Paddlefish season will run May 1, 2017 through May 31, 2017 or until harvest limits are reached. Fishing is a year-round sport in North Dakota, with one notable exception. The ancient paddlefish species is the only fish with an in-season closure in the state. Snaggers need to make sure they have a valid paddlefish tag and fishing license.&nbsp; The season often closes early depending upon how quickly 1000 fish harvest limits are reached.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><br />
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<span style="color:rgb(70, 70, 70); font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:14px">The large, distinctive fish can live to be more than 60 years old and many weigh more than 100 pounds. Within North Dakota, the population that resides in Lake Sakakawea and upstream in the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers is the only stock in North Dakota which currently supports a snag fishery. Paddlefish return annually to their spawning grounds, making the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers near Williston, North Dakota, an ideal place to snag one of these prehistoric animals.</span><br />
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<span style="color:rgb(70, 70, 70); font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:14px">Harvest only days are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, while Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays will be designated catch and release days. Please refer to the North Dakota Game and Fish website (https://gf.nd.gov) and Williston Convention and Visitor Bureau website (www.visitwilliston.com) for information regarding available services for the 2017 season.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><br />
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<span style="color:rgb(70, 70, 70); font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:14px">The annual paddlefish season is an exciting time in northwest North Dakota. In 2016, 3,351 licenses were sold. Non-resident tags accounted for 651 licenses and represented individuals from 37 different states and provinces. An additional 1,375 resident licenses were sold to North Dakota residents.</span><br />
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<span style="color:rgb(70, 70, 70); font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:14px">Last year, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department confirmed that a 71-inch, 131 pound paddlefish snagged by Grant Werkmeister of Williston was the heaviest ever caught in North Dakota. It broke the previous record of a 130 pound fish caught by 16-year-old named Alex Mergen in 2010.</span><br />
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<span style="color:rgb(70, 70, 70); font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:14px">&ldquo;We are looking forward to hosting another paddlefish season at the confluence this year,&rdquo; commented Kerry Finsaas, Missouri Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive Center Acting Site Supervisor, &ldquo;Perhaps we will see another record breaker this year.&rdquo;</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">For more information about the North Dakota paddlefish season, visit the North Dakota Fish and Game website at&nbsp;</span><a href="https://gf.nd.gov/fishing/paddlefish-snagging">https://gf.nd.gov/fishing/paddlefish-snagging</a><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/2017PaddlefishSeason/4/19/2017 12:00:00 AMBand Day for the Artistically Inclined<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14px">Williston, N.D. &ndash; The Williston Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the Band Day Committee is pleased to announce a new fundraising mechanism for those with creative spirits. This year, Band Day is scheduled for May 12-13, with the parade occurring Saturday morning.<br />
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The Band Day Committee and CVB are excited to offer the public a new way to show their support for Williston&rsquo;s favorite festival through a silent auction. Ten benches, crafted by the Williston High School woodworking class, will be available for $50 each. Bench sponsors are asked to decorate and finish their bench, then return it to the CVB before April 28. Benches will be displayed for two weeks prior to Band Day, then auctioned off on May 13 in Harmon Park. Alternatively, a business may craft, finish and donate a bench to best reflect their company&rsquo;s mission if they would like to.<br />
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&ldquo;This program is a fun way to add a new element to Band Day while supporting the event itself,&rdquo; commented CVB Director Amy Krueger. &ldquo;On average, Band Day costs about $40,000 to produce, but we only collect about a quarter of that through sponsorships and grants. This is a great way for organizations that can&rsquo;t help much monetarily to still show their appreciation for the festival. It takes everyone to put Band Day on. It&rsquo;s a community event.&rdquo;<br />
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Benches will be available for pickup March 13, but those interested in taking a bench can reserve theirs now. Please contact Jeremy Wright or Amy Krueger for details at 701-774-9041.<br />
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If you have questions about Band Day 2017, contact the Williston CVB at 701-774-9041 or check the community event calendar website for details at <a href="http://www.visitwilliston.com/">www.visitwilliston.com</a>/calendar. Information can also be found on the Band Day Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ WillistonBandDay).</span></span><br /><br />I'll Take a Bench Form<br /><br /<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/BandDayfortheArtisticallyInclined/1/31/2017 12:00:00 AMDead Man's Hand Poker Tournament Returns to Williston<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">2015 was the first year the Williston Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau (CVB) presented the Dead Man&rsquo;s Hand Poker Tournament to Williston. Participation was promising enough that the CVB has opted to bring the tournament back this October 15-16 at the Grand Williston Hotel.<br />
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This tournament is a two day deep stack with registration starting at 11am at the Grand Williston on October 15. There will be a second flight, evening registration at 5pm. Both the morning and evening flights will be limited to 100 players, for a total of 200 players in the deep stack tourney.<br />
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The name &quot;Dead Man's Hand&quot; references the poker hand (black aces and black eights, along with an unknown 'hole' card) held by frontier&nbsp;folk hero, lawman and gunfighter James Butler Hickok, popularly known as Wild Bill Hickok, when he was&nbsp;murdered in the Dakota Territory in 1876.&nbsp;<br />
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Special room rates are available for tournament players! Mention &ldquo;poker tournament&rdquo; when you call to book a room for details.<br />
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See the event poster for more information.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><br />Tournament Poster<br /><br /<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/DeadMansHandPokerTournamentReturnstoWilliston/9/14/2016 12:00:00 AM10th Annual North Dakota Chokecherry Festival Just Around the Corner<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">The Williston Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau along with the North Dakota Chokecherry Festival Committee is excited to bring this family friendly event back to Harmon Park for its 10<sup>th</sup> annual year this August 12-13. The festival celebrates the chokecherry as the North Dakota state fruit and honors the accomplishments of youth.<br />
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Prior to 2007, North Dakota had not named a state fruit. Williston students in Nancy Selby&rsquo;s sixth grade class reached out to state lawmakers as part of a persuasive letter writing assignment, which in turn led to legislation designating the chokecherry as the State Fruit of North Dakota. Senator Stanley Lyson and Senator Nick Hacker sponsored Senate Bill 2145, and Governor John Hoeven signed the bill into law on March 29, 2007. Williston held the first North Dakota Chokecherry Festival August 18, 2007. The celebration has continued to evolve and grow each year.<br />
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Longtime festival supporter Nemont will kick things off at 4pm with the 1000 Burger Feed (free burgers for as long as they last!) and another annual sponsor, American State Bank, will be offering free ice cream sundaes with chokecherry syrup while supplies last. This year, North Dakota native Lexi Wyman will start the music off at the</span></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <span style="font-size:14px">Virgil Syverson&nbsp;Performance Center</span></span><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> at 5pm. Lexi will be followed by North Dakota crowd favorite Tigirlily at 7pm. Attendees are encouraged to browse vendor stalls and enjoy the music, then return to the park with blankets for an outdoor animated family movie at 10:30pm, &ldquo;Zootopia.&rdquo;<br />
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The festival continues on Saturday with a free pancake breakfast served by local Lions members and Community Builders, 7:30-10a.m. Runners of all ages are encouraged to take part in the Chokecherry 5k and 1 mile fun run. Registration will begin at 8a.m. with the race starting at 8:30a.m. More live music fills the stage on Saturday, featuring local favorite Brian Salveson, Teddy Talent Trek winners and at 5pm, North Dakota songbird and &ldquo;The Voice&rdquo; alumni Gwen Sebastian.<br />
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Kids will love participating in the popular Chokecherry Stroll on Saturday. All children are encouraged to dress up however they like, decorate their bikes and wagons, and &ldquo;stroll&rdquo; from Rickard Elementary to Harmon Park. Lineup for the Chokecherry Stroll on Saturday is at 9 a.m. at Rickard School. The stroll will begin at 9:30 a.m. and end in Harmon Park with a short program on the stage. Kids who participate in the stroll will receive a raffle ticket for fun prizes! The Kids Chokecherry Pit will open at 10 a.m. It features face-painting, balloon twisting, a chokecherry pit-spitting contest and other free family activities.&shy;<br />
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The Ultimate Air Dogs, a nationally-acclaimed dock dog jumping organization (www.ultimateairdogs.com), will return to the ND Chokecherry Festival on both Friday and Saturday with demonstrations by their own dogs and competitions for the public throughout the day. For the first time, the North Dakota Chokecherry Festival will be regional qualifying event for the Ultimate Air Dogs National Championships in the fall. The top 5 dogs in each division (Distance Jumping, Fetch It, Catch It and Chase It) will qualify to compete at National Championship event at Purina Farms this October. Each division will also have $500 in prize money.<br />
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All ages love watching the Ultimate Air Dogs. The public is encouraged to bring their water-loving, people friendly furry family members to participate at the festival. All sizes, breeds and ages are welcome, as long as they can swim!<br />
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Other firsts for the festival in 2016: Bear Hollow Wood Carvers will be offering live chainsaw carving demonstrations all day on Saturday. Their finished artwork will be available through a silent auction in the park, with proceeds going to support the festival. This year, the event will also feature a car show at the south end of Harmon Park and a special stamp cancelation on Saturday in honor of the North Dakota Chokecherry Festival.<br />
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The North Dakota Chokecherry Festival is supported the Williston Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau as well as many business and individual sponsors. Events like the ND Chokecherry Festival could not happen without public support and sponsorship. If you are interested in being a festival supporter, contact the CVB. For more information, view the North Dakota Chokecherry Festival Facebook page (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/chokecherryfestival">www.facebook.com/chokecherryfestival</a>) or contact the Williston Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau at<br />
<a href="tel:701-774-9041">701-774-9041</a>.<br />
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&nbsp;<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/ChokecherryFestival2016/7/21/2016 12:00:00 AMWilliston is North Dakota’s Boomtown, USA<div style="text-align:right;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://visitwilliston.com/news/BoomToGrow/" target="_blank"><img alt="Share to Facebook" src="/images/share-facebook.jpg" /></a><a href="https://twitter.com/share?url=http://visitwilliston.com/news/BoomToGrow/&amp;text=Williston:%20Boom%20to%20Grow&amp;hashtags=willistonND" target="_blank"><img alt="Share to Twitter" src="/images/share-twitter.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/visitwilliston/" target="_blank"><img alt="Visit our Instagram" src="/images/share-instagram.jpg" /></a></div>
<h1>Williston: Boom to Grow</h1>
North Dakota&rsquo;s &ldquo;Boomtown, USA&rdquo; uses its success to build a great community and bright future<br />
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<img alt="Fort Union, Williston ND Events" src="/uploads/7/FortUnion.jpg" style="border-style:solid; border-width:5px; margin:10px 5px; max-width:635px; width:100%" />Between 1828 and 1867, Fort Union, North Dakota was a meeting place of cultures and commerce. Plains Indians and frontiersmen came here, just a few miles west of the meeting point of the mighty Missouri and Yellowstone rivers, for all sorts of goods. Trade flourished for nearly forty years at this busy commercial hub, thriving long after the peak of area activity.<br />
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Given the fort&rsquo;s illustrious history, it seems fitting that nearly 150 years later, nearby Williston is Boomtown, USA. Or better put, still Boomtown, USA. When oil production picked up, Williston took the opportunity to turn a boomtown into something more. What&rsquo;s been created? A hometown&mdash;one with plenty for visitors and residents alike.<br />
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So much in Williston has changed recently, and yet so much has remained the same. We still love Band Day and the North Dakota Chokecherry Festival! Those of us who knew Boomtown, USA before it was Boomtown, USA&mdash;when it was simply Williston&mdash;know that things have changed for the better.<br />
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<h2>Continued growth</h2>
<div><img alt="Williston Area Recreation Center, ARC, Things to do in Williston" src="/uploads/7/ARC3.jpg" style="border-style:solid; border-width:5px; float:left; margin:10px 5px; max-width:635px; width:100%" />
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Fort Union Trading Post, now a National Historic Site, is still very relevant, especially during Rendezvous weekends when it hosts living history re-enactments. Year-round, the fort welcomes visitors to explore and interact with its exhibits and displays, which depict what life was like when thousands of buffalo robes and more than $100,000 in merchandise were traded each year here.<br />
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Impressive figures like those are still found in Williston. How many places in America have a 234,000-square-foot recreation center with a golf simulator, lazy river and indoor surfing? Visitors are invited to the Williston Area Recreation Center (ARC) to exercise in the Olympic-size pool, hit the indoor batting cage built for professional-grade training and just play at the largest indoor recreation center in North Dakota. Between the water park (where adults can become kids), turf field, running track and more, there is more than enough indoor fun for everyone, 360+ days a year. &nbsp;
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<div>A few miles from the state-of-the-art batting cage at the ARC, baseball fans in Williston find Ardean Aafedt Stadium. In August, this best-in-class amateur facility will host the 2016 <a href="http://www.visitwilliston.com/calendar/BabeRuthWorldSeries/">Babe Ruth World Series</a>. This will be the third time the town has welcomed more than 40,000 youth players, families and fans to partake in the festivities provided by a national tournament. Teams who make it to the end and stay for all 8 days will just scratch the surface of things to see and do outside of the baseball diamond.<br />
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When it comes to leisure time, Williston takes it up another notch: a shooting range, pumpkin patch, <a href="http://visitwilliston.com/thingstodo/familyfun/IceSkating/">ice-skating rinks</a>, <a href="http://visitwilliston.com/thingstodo/familyfun/GoCarts/">go-kart track</a>, two <a href="http://www.visitwilliston.com/thingstodo/Golfing/">golf courses</a> and a historic <a href="http://visitwilliston.com/thingstodo/familyfun/MovieTheaters/">movie theater</a> dating back to the 1920s are highlights. None of these 21<sup>st</sup> century attractions were around when the legendary Lewis &amp; Clark expedition came through the area in 1805. But the same jaw dropping scenery the explorers wrote about stretches for miles and miles not far from Williston&rsquo;s modern architecture. Here, <a href="http://visitwilliston.com/thingstodo/Outdoors/">outdoor</a> recreational opportunities are endless.<br />
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<h2>The place to be</h2>
<img alt="Williston ND Events, Fort Union, Things to do in Williston" src="/uploads/7/FortUnion3.jpg" style="border-style:solid; border-width:5px; float:left; margin:10px 5px; max-width:635px; width:100%" />Plains Indians and fur traders relied on the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers for their livelihood, but today, it&rsquo;s all about recreation and relaxation. Fish for bass, trout, northern pike and walleye&mdash;Williston is the only place in the region where you can throw out a line for paddlefish. Watersports enthusiasts and anglers alike benefit from Williston&rsquo;s close proximity to Lake Sakakawea, the third-largest man-made lake in the United States.<br />
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The Links of North Dakota, a nationally ranked golf course designed by Stephen Kay, challenges every skill level. <span class="copyitalic">Golf Week</span> and <span class="copyitalic">Golf Digest</span> rank The Links as a &ldquo;Top 100 Golf Course&rdquo;&mdash;its traditional layout, with wide fairways surrounded by sand bunkers, guarantee good times.<br />
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Hunting was, and still is, an extremely popular outdoor pursuit in the area. The nearby North Dakota Badlands are home to healthy populations of trophy-worthy waterfowl and wild game. Unlike hunting, which is seasonal, wildlife viewing around Williston is a year-round sport. Bison, bighorn sheep, moose, deer and golden eagles are just a few of the species found in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, an hour-drive south of Williston.<br />
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Naturally, hiking in the national park is a must, but there are also self-guided interpretive nature trails closer to town in Lewis &amp; Clark State Park. Spend the morning picnicking among the park&rsquo;s purple coneflowers while listening to the singing of a yellow warbler before spending the afternoon shopping or getting a spa treatment in downtown Williston.<br />
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<h2>Still booming</h2>
<img alt="Williston ND Events, Babe Ruth World Series" src="/uploads/7/Baseball2.jpg" style="border-style:solid; border-width:5px; float:left; margin:10px 5px; max-width:635px; width:100%" /><br />
Locally owned specialty <a href="http://visitwilliston.com/thingstodo/Shopping/">shops and boutiques</a> occupy downtown&rsquo;s vibrant Main Street, resulting in plenty of special finds for every taste and budget. The dining scene is just as robust and satisfying.<br />
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Fueling a boomtown is serious business. When it comes to wining and <a href="http://www.visitwilliston.com/restaurants/">dining</a>, Williston claims dozens of noteworthy establishments ranging from saloons celebrating its Western heritage to pizza joints, a Japanese steakhouse, sushi bar, and a microbrewery boasting the largest wine and beer selection in the state. Between the premium beverages, aged steaks, barbecue ribs and exotic entrees, it&rsquo;s impossible to go hungry or thirsty in Williston. And when the plates are licked clean, it&rsquo;s time for a good night&rsquo;s rest.<br />
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Area <a href="http://www.visitwilliston.com/wheretostay/">accommodations</a> include an ample amount of new, full-service hotels and boutique properties that encourage kicking back and relaxing as well as easy access to Williston. Even during the busiest times of the year there is no shortage of rooms and suites for overnight visitors, including several area campgrounds that welcome RV-ers and tent campers keen on cooking out and sleeping under the stars. After all, western North Dakota&mdash;with its dark skies, rolling hills, and wide-open spaces where you can practically see forever&mdash;is a stargazer&rsquo;s dream destination.<br />
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Like the stars, the future is bright for Williston. If its history is any indication, the city will continue to strengthen and grow for quite some time. Boomtown, USA is where residents can live the American dream and visitors can reap the benefits of a vibrant community&mdash;both today and for many tomorrows to come.<br />
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<a href="http://www.visitwilliston.com/visit/maps/">Plan your trip</a> to experience Williston&rsquo;s booming culture.</div>
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<br /><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="//maddencdn.com/global/scripts/ga/madden-ga-track-percent-v2.0-min.js"></script><br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/BoomToGrow/4/27/2016 12:00:00 AMWilliston’s First Art & Wine Walk<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14px">WILLISTON, N.D. - The Williston Downtowners Association presents Williston&rsquo;s first Art &amp; Wine Walk&nbsp;through Downtown from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m., Thursday, April 21. Enjoy wine tastings, appetizers and a chance&nbsp;to view and purchase local art at participating Downtown businesses. Tickets are $30.00 and can be&nbsp;purchased in advance at the Downtowners office, 119 East Broadway or Castle Framing, 309 Main Street.<br />
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Tickets will also be available for purchase beginning at 4:45 p.m. day of event at the James Memorial Art&nbsp;Center. The event begins for all participants at the James Memorial Art Center. Participants must be 21 and&nbsp;above and will be asked to present an ID. All ticket holders will receive a wristband, list of businesses,&nbsp;artists, wines, and a wine glass for sampling.<br />
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&ldquo;We are excited to feature local artists and have gotten a great response. Businesses are opening their&nbsp;doors for the evening and will be providing appetizers and wine from 26th Street Liquor,&rdquo; said Executive&nbsp;Director Karissa Kjos.<br />
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Participating businesses and artists are:&nbsp;<br />
James Memorial Art Center featuring North Dakota/South Dakota Photo Portfolio, Lilly Grondahl, Ryan<br />
Stander, Silent Auction<br />
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Ritter Brothers Diamond Cutters featuring Tess Lehman<br />
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Fresh Palate featuring Daphne Clark<br />
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Shepherd&rsquo;s Garden featuring Ardis Jacobson<br />
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Castle Framing featuring Sadie Rauser<br />
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Jackie&rsquo;s Therapeutic Massage &amp; Day Spa featuring CB Michels<br />
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Little Muddy Gifts featuring Beau Theige<br />
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Books on Broadway featuring Onesti Krieger<br />
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Renaissance on Main featuring James C. Skinner<br />
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Dark Secrets Lingerie featuring Patrick Richter</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:14px">For more information about the Art &amp; Wine Walk contact Kjos at (701) 580-9343. Another Art &amp; Wine Walk is&nbsp;scheduled for Thursday, September 22. Interested Downtown businesses and artists can also contact Kjos.&nbsp;</span><br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/News37/4/14/2016 12:00:00 AMWilliston2016 Camera Club and Williston Area Woodworkers show<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">The James Memorial Art Center is proud to present the annual Williston Camera Club and Williston Area Woodworkers show March 5-13th. This exhibit will feature works from both clubs,as well as a public photo contest and silent auction pieces. Special hours for this exhibit are as follows:<br />
Saturday, March 5, 10am-7pm<br />
Sunday, March 6, noon-5pm<br />
Monday, March 7 - Friday, March 11,10am-7pm<br />
Saturday, March 12, 10am-10pm (meet the photographers 7-10pm)<br />
Sunday, March 13, noon-3pm.<br />
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Come visit with theWoodworkers and Camera Clubs and enjoy some local talent!<br />
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The James Memorial Art Center is located at 621 First Avenue Westin Williston.Gallery hours areMonday-Thursday 9am-2pm and Friday 1:00pm-5:00pm,and 1:00&ndash;5:00 pmon Sunday.&nbsp; There is no admission chargefor gallery exhibits.&nbsp; For further information, please contact the James at 701-774-3601.</span></span><br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/News36/2/29/2016 12:00:00 AMDecember at The James: Jackie McElroy “Prairie Prints Portfolio” <span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">The James Memorial Art Center is proud to present a collection of prints by artist Jackie McElroy titled &ldquo;Prairie Prints Portfolio.&rdquo;&nbsp; The artist combines familiar North Dakota plains with interesting objects, forcing the viewer to look at prairie landscapes in an entirely new way.<br />
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In her artist statement, McElroy defines herself as a regionalist, whose work is about place. Using images such as elevators, hot air balloons, drains and ships, she juxtaposes unrelated elements into an improbable landscape to create different points of view.&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:14px">McElroy is retired associate art professor and chair of the Department of Visual Arts at the University of North Dakota.&nbsp;</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">&quot;I hope that my fantasy landscapes help viewers invest time in appreciating the subtle beauty of the open plains, the dazzling skies and color schemes,&quot; she said.<br />
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McElroy taught printmaking and art history at UND, all the while making art about the vast and empty-yet-full reaches of the Red River Valley. During her long and active career, she was represented by galleries in Chicago, St. Paul, and on the East Coast. Her work was accepted into more than 80 national juried print shows and featured in numerous solo exhibitions in the Midwest and eastern United States.<br />
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This exhibit is free to the public and will be available for viewing December 11-30.<br />
This Exhibition is sponsored by the North Dakota Art Gallery Association with support from the North Dakota Council on the Arts.<br />
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The James Memorial Art Center is located at 621 First Avenue Westin Williston. Gallery hours are Monday-Thursday 9am-2pm and Friday 1:00pm-5:00pm, and 1:00&ndash;5:00 pm on Sunday. There is no admission charge. For further information, please contact The James at 701-774-3601.</span></span><br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/DecemberatTheJamesJackieMcElroyPrairiePrintsPortfolio/12/7/2015 12:00:00 AMBand Day Public Input Meeting<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Williston, N.D. &ndash; The public is invited to attend an informational meeting regarding Band Day 2016 this Monday, November 23, at the Williston ARC at 6pm.<br />
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The Williston Band Day Committee and Williston Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau (CVB) are hosting a public meeting to formally announce next year&rsquo;s guest bands and parade marshal. At this meeting, the public will have an opportunity to offer input about Band Day as a whole but in particular share ideas to enhance Band Day and give insights regarding the parade route. The CVB also hopes to bring awareness to opportunities the public has to be involved with this 80+ year annual event.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
Band Day 2016 is scheduled May 6-7, 2016. The festival traditionally occurs the Saturday of every Mother&rsquo;s Day weekend, and is a community wide effort featuring a parade, classic car show, rodeo, stock car races and vendors in Harmon Park. In recent years, the festival has expanded to include a concert, supper and 5k run on the Friday of Mother&rsquo;s Day weekend.<br />
<br />
For more information about this meeting or to contact the Williston CVB, e-mail <a href="mailto:cvb@ci.williston.nd.us">cvb@ci.williston.nd.us</a> or call 701-774-9041.</span></span><br />
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<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/BandDayPublicInputMeeting/11/16/2015 12:00:00 AMPark Closed to Vehicles for Bakken X Trek<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000">NEWS RELEASE&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
For Immediate Release&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
September 7, 2015<br />
&nbsp;<br />
For more information contact:<br />
Jenn Shanahan, Bakken X Trek Race Director<br />
Williston Parks &amp; Recreation District<br />
701-774-9773<br />
<br />
Williston, N.D. &ndash; On September 19, Williston will be hosting the Bakken X Trek in Spring Lake Park. This race features 25 obstacles through natural park features including mud, water, swamp and hills as well as some built obstacles including ropes, webs and tires. Runners will enjoy a free beer courtesy of Outlaws and a slice of pizza, along with a registration gift and a prize for finishers. Race waves are set at 75 people to reduce long lines and wait times at obstacles. Those who love to run as a family can take advantage of a &lsquo;family wave&rsquo; first thing in the morning. Runners can register for open waves at </span><a href="http://www.bakkenxtrek.com"><span style="color:#000000">www.bakkenxtrek.com</span></a><span style="color:#000000">.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&ldquo;At this point, we have about 130 signed up for the X Trek,&rdquo; commented Race Director Jenn Shanahan, with the Williston Parks and Recreation District. &ldquo;We are pleased with the response we have had from the community.&rdquo;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Spring Lake Park will be closed to the general public for the race from 8am-2pm on September 19, but racers, families and all spectators are welcome! Non-delivery vehicles will not be allowed inside the park during the race. The Bakken X Trek will be utilizing most areas of the park including some playground, parking and open water areas. Parking for racers, spectators and volunteers will be available at the Upper Missouri Valley Fairgrounds, with a shuttle available between the fairgrounds and Spring Lake Park.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
If you have questions or would like to volunteer to help at the Bakken X Trek, contact Jenn at the Williston Parks &amp; Recreation District at 701-774-9773 or </span><a href="mailto:jenn@wprd.us"><span style="color:#000000">jenn@wprd.us</span></a><span style="color:#000000">.&nbsp; Information can also be found on the Bakken X Trek Facebook page (</span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/BakkenXTrek"><span style="color:#000000">www.facebook.com/BakkenXTrek</span></a><span style="color:#000000">) or website at </span><a href="http://www.bakkenxtrek.com"><span style="color:#000000">www.bakkenxtrek.com</span></a><span style="color:#000000">.</span></span></span>
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<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/News33/9/9/2015 12:00:00 AMVolunteers Sought for Bakken X Trek Obstacle 5k<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Volunteers Sought for New 5k Obstacle and Terrain Run<br />
<br />
Williston, N.D. &ndash; On September 19, Williston will be hosting the Bakken X Trek in Spring Lake Park in Williston. This race features 25 obstacles through natural park features including mud, water, swamp and hills as well as some built obstacles including ropes, webs and tires. Runners will enjoy a free beer courtesy of Outlaws and a slice of pizza, along a registration gift and a prize for finishers. Race waves are set at 75 people to reduce long lines and wait times at obstacles. Those who love to run as a family can take advantage of a &lsquo;family wave&rsquo; first thing in the morning.<br />
<br />
To ensure a successful and fun event, the Bakken X Trek is seeking 40 adult volunteers before and during the race for 5-6 hours on Saturday. Volunteers can be individuals who love to help out, or employees acting on behalf of their company to help us offer an event our whole community can enjoy. Some examples of what volunteers may be asked to do (or can request) include manning obstacles, directing runners, helping with registration and other tasks. Volunteers can also qualify for a discount on the Bakken X Trek, if they would like to run the course!<br />
<br />
If you would like to volunteer, please get in touch; we would love to meet you. Volunteering for your company? Let us know!<br />
If you have questions or would like to volunteer to help at the Bakken X Trek, contact Jenn at the Williston Parks &amp; Recreation District at 701-774-9773 or <a href="mailto:jenn@wprd.us">jenn@wprd.us</a>. &nbsp;Information can also be found on the Bakken X Trek Facebook page (www.facebook.com/BakkenXTrek) or website at www.bakkenxtrek.com.</span></span>
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<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/VolunteersSoughtforBakkenXTrekObstacle5k/7/15/2015 12:00:00 AMVolunteers Sought for North Dakota Chokecherry Festival<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14px">Volunteers Sought for North Dakota Chokecherry Festival<br />
<br />
Williston, N.D. &ndash; On August 7-8, the Williston Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau will be hosting the North Dakota Chokecherry Festival in Williston. This festival features a variety of free, family friendly entertainment and activities including live music, pancake breakfast, costumed characters strolling through the park, an outdoor movie, 5k fun run, 1000 Burger Feed and much more. The North Dakota Chokecherry Festival is held to honor the accomplishments of youth and our state fruit, the chokecherry, which was designated by our state government upon written request by a group of persuasive Williston sixth graders.<br />
<br />
To ensure a successful and fun event, the CVB is seeking 15-20 adult volunteers during the festival for 3-4 hours on Saturday. Volunteers can be individuals who love to help out, or employees acting on behalf of their company to help us offer an event our whole community can enjoy. Some examples of what volunteers may be asked to do (or can request) include working in the Chokecherry Shaved Ice Stand (proceeds benefit the festival), helping lead simple activities in the Kid Zone on Saturday, helping to keep tables clean during the pancake breakfast, or assisting a staff member as they lead the chokecherry pit spitting contest.<br />
<br />
If you would like to volunteer, please get in touch; we would love to meet you. Volunteering for your company? Let us know! We would love to list you as an event sponsor if your crew is able to fill some volunteer shifts for the festival.<br />
<br />
If you have questions or would like to volunteer to help at the North Dakota Chokecherry Festival, contact Sabrina at the Williston CVB at 701-774-9041 or <a href="mailto:cvb@ci.williston.nd.us">cvb@ci.williston.nd.us</a>. &nbsp;Information can also be found on the North Dakota Chokecherry Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ChokecherryFestival).</span></span>
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<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/VolunteersSoughtforNorthDakotaChokecherryFestival/7/15/2015 12:00:00 AMCelebrating With a Boom 2015<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Williston, N.D. &ndash; The Williston Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau would like to invite the public to the Upper Missouri Valley Fairgrounds on the evening of July 4 for a free community event. Additional community events fill the calendar the rest of the week, as well.<br />
<br />
Youth Entertainment On Stage presents &ldquo;Hello Dolly&rdquo; from June 30 through July 2. This will be the youth organization&rsquo;s 31<sup>st</sup> season in Williston. The show will be presented nightly at 7pm at the Old Armory Theater.<br />
<br />
July 2, head downtown for sidewalk sales, daytime entertainment and kids&rsquo; activities. The Williston Chamber of Commerce will offer their annual rib competition and tasting event, the Phillips &amp; Jordan Rockin' Ribfest, from 4-9pm. The 2nd also marks the kick-off of Summer Nights on Main, a free concert series presented by the Williston Downtowners Association. Summer Nights on Main will offer a free, live band on Thursday evenings in the summer through August 20, 5-9pm. On July 2, the band is 32 Below, sponsored by the Williston Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau. If rodeo is more your speed, head out to the Saddle Club Arena at the fairgrounds to see riders compete in events including barrels, poles, trail class, key hole and crazy 8.<br />
<br />
Sidewalk sales in downtown Williston continue on July 3, but head out to the Williston Basin Speedway in the evening for the track&rsquo;s annual Fireworks Special, courtesy of local TNT Fireworks. This year, a number of drivers will be donating doors, hoods, and fenders that the Speedway will auction off during intermission, with proceeds benefiting Relay for Life. The first 100 military members and their spouses will also enjoy free admission to the July 3<sup>rd</sup> races with a military ID. After the races, stay to watch TNT Fireworks light up the sky!<br />
<br />
Visit the Williston Downtowners Farmers Market the morning of July 4. In the evening, the Williston Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau is sponsoring a live band and a large fireworks display at the Upper Missouri Valley Fairgrounds. Slamabama will be playing 8:30-10:30pm and several vendors will be on hand if you decide you need something delicious to get you through the night. Firestorm Pyrotechnics will start their display, set to music, at 11pm. Firestorm Pyrotechnics produces commercial shows for the likes of Walt Disney World, Pro Rodeo Association and the city of Houston, Texas. Their 25-30 minute display will feature thousands of 3&rdquo; &ndash; 8&rdquo; mortars and over 5000 total effects. &ldquo;The finale alone has over 1000 mortars in it,&rdquo; commented Williston CVB Event Communications Coordinator Sabrina Ramey. &ldquo;It will be spectacular.&rdquo; There is no gate admission for this event.<br />
<br />
For more details on these events, check out the Williston CVB&rsquo;s calendar at <a href="http://www.visitwilliston.com">www.visitwilliston.com</a>.</span></span>
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<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">&nbsp;</span></span><br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/CelebratingWithaBoom2015/6/29/2015 12:00:00 AMPhotographers Encouraged to Enter 2015 North Dakota Governor’s Photo Contest<span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">For more information contact:<br />
Sara Otte Coleman, Director, Tourism Division<br />
North Dakota Department of Commerce<br />
701-328-2525<br />
&nbsp;<br />
BISMARCK, N.D. - Gov. Jack Dalrymple and the North Dakota Tourism Division, in partnership with AAA and North Dakota Council on the Arts, are kicking off the 2015 Governor&rsquo;s Photo Contest. All North Dakota photographers are encouraged to submit their photos that capture the unique things to see and do in the state. Deadline for entry is August 31, 2015.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Photographers can submit photos to one or more of the following categories: Adventure, Attractions, Events, People, Scenery and Wildlife. One winner will be selected in each contest category and a $200 cash prize will be awarded to the photographer of each selected photo. Additional honorable mentions may be selected in each category, with photographers receiving $50 and North Dakota Legendary merchandise. A Best of Show photo will be selected from the winning photographs and the photographer will receive an additional $300 cash prize and a free, one-year basic membership to AAA. &nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
In addition to the prize money:</span></span></span>
<ul>
<li><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Winning photographs will be published in North Dakota Tourism&rsquo;s 2016 promotional materials and on the website.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Winning photographs will be eligible for display in AAA North Dakota branch offices and may be printed in AAA regional publications.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Winners also will be published in North Dakota Tourism&rsquo;s newsletter and likely in future promotional publications and marketing efforts.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Winning photographs will be featured in a public display at the North Dakota Capitol building during the fourth quarter of 2015, through a partnership with the North Dakota Council on the Arts.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">&nbsp;<br />
&ldquo;Each year, we are impressed with the talent and unique perspectives of North Dakota&rsquo;s resident photographers,&rdquo; Dalrymple said. &ldquo;This contest is an excellent way for us to help photographers showcase their images while simultaneously showcasing the beauty and variety of North Dakota. It also gives the Tourism Division more options to highlight North Dakota&rsquo;s legendary scenery, attractions and events.&rdquo;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&ldquo;We look forward to this contest each year and to partnering with Gov. Dalrymple and the Tourism Division,&rdquo; AAA North Dakota President Mark Grieb said. &ldquo;It is always exciting to see areas of the state or special activities through the eyes of residents, and to be able to tout the opportunities in North Dakota to potential visitors in this way.&rdquo;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Launched in 2004, the annual Governor&rsquo;s Photo contest has grown significantly since its beginnings. In its first year, the contest attracted more than 300 submissions. Approximately 8,400 photos have been submitted in the years since.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&ldquo;The beauty and adventure found in North Dakota are uniquely captured each year we host this contest,&rdquo; North Dakota Tourism Division Director Sara Otte Coleman said. &ldquo;It is always amazing to see the artistic talent that exists across the state and we are fortunate to be able to use that to recruit new and returning visitors to North Dakota.&rdquo;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
<u>Contest Rules:</u><br />
All photos must be submitted electronically via Flickr or postmarked by the contest deadline, August 31, 2015.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Only North Dakota residents are eligible to enter. There is no limit to the number of entries allowed per photographer. Excessive cropping, digital alterations or enhancements are discouraged.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Photographers will be judged on their ability to showcase North Dakota as a Legendary travel destination in the following categories: Adventure, Attractions, Events, People, Scenery and Wildlife.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Entries will be judged on originality, interest of the subject matter, visual appearance and consistency with the category theme. Photo entries should be taken within the last three years and must be in full color.<br />
The number of winners will be determined by the number of entries and the quality of photos in each category.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Photo entries will be judged by a panel of North Dakota Tourism, Governor&rsquo;s Office, AAA and North Dakota Council on the Arts staff familiar with photography and responsible for selecting images for various marketing materials.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Submission of the photo is the entrant&rsquo;s guarantee as the photographer and copyright holder of the photo that they have the rights to distribute the image.</span></span></span>
<ul>
<li><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Photographers must have the consent of those whose faces are visible in the image.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">By entering the contest, photographers agree that if their photo is selected, they agree to authorize North Dakota Tourism, AAA and their official marketing partners to use that image in promotional materials offline and online. Photos will be credited whenever possible.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Winning photographers agree to unlimited usage by North Dakota Tourism for promotional materials and websites. Photos will not be sold.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000">&nbsp;<br />
<u>Photo Submission:</u><br />
To enter the contest by mail, photographs must be submitted on a CD with a 5x7 or 8x10 print copy. Prints need not be mounted or framed. The back of the photo and CD must be labeled with the entrant's name, address, telephone number, email address, contest category, title of photo, location and date the photo was taken.<br />
<br />
Entries should be mailed to North Dakota Department of Commerce Tourism Division, Attention Heather LeMoine, at P.O. Box 2057, Bismarck, ND 58502-2057. AAA branch offices in Fargo and Bismarck will also accept entries.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
You may submit your photos online through Flickr. Join the Legendary North Dakota Travel group on Flickr if you are not already a group member. </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/northdakota/"><span style="color:#000000">http://www.flickr.com/groups/northdakota/</span></a><span style="color:#000000">&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
The membership is free and the frequently-asked questions page at Flickr can answer questions regarding membership, uploading and sharing photos.&nbsp; </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/help/faq/"><span style="color:#000000">http://www.flickr.com/help/faq/</span></a><br />
<span style="color:#000000">&nbsp;<br />
When you add your photo(s) to the Legendary North Dakota Travel group, tag it &ldquo;ND2015Contest.&rdquo; <u>If you forget to tag your photo it will be not be entered in the contest.</u>&nbsp; North Dakota Tourism is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, incomplete entries or technical errors.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Upload the highest-resolution image possible: 8&rdquo;x10&rdquo; @ 300 dpi (or 1024x768 pixels).<br />
Entered photos must be family-friendly. Inappropriate photos will be removed from the group.<br />
Information about the photo must include title of the photo, location in state where the photo was taken, date photo was taken, the contest category and name and town of photographer.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Entrants should include some contact information in their Flickr profile, or frequently check Flickr mail, in order to be contacted by North Dakota Tourism for name, address, telephone number and email address. Failure to respond to inquiries within three days may result in the disqualification of a winning photograph.<br />
<br />
Complete contest rules can be found on the Tourism Division Web site at </span><a href="http://ndtourism.com/"><span style="color:#000000">NDtourism.com</span></a><span style="color:#000000">. For more information, contact the Tourism Division at 701-328-2525 or 800-435-5663.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</span></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000">-###-</span></span></span></div>
<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/GovernorsPhotoContest2015/5/27/2015 12:00:00 AMSummer Hours for Fort Union<p><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000">For Immediate Release&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Contact: Loren Yellow Bird<br />
May 17, 2015<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
Saturday, May 23, Fort Union changed from the winter hours to our summer hours. These hours will be from 8:00 am &ndash; 6:30 pm (Central Time). These hours will be in effect from Memorial Day to the end of Labor Day on September 6, 2015.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Fort Union&rsquo;s Trade House will be open every day during the summer hours with living history interpreters on site. Special events are scheduled for the summer, as well; stop in at the fort's Visitors Center to get the latest updates on these events, or visit our website at </span><a href="http://www.nps.gov/fous"><span style="color:#000000">www.nps.gov/fous</span></a><span style="color:#000000"> or on Facebook. Fort Union Trading Post is free to visit.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Fort Union Trading Post is located 24 miles north of Sidney, Montana and 25 miles southwest of Williston, North Dakota, via highway 1804. While here, visitors are encouraged to tour the reconstructed fort, trade room and bourgeois house.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
For more information on Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site contact the park at 701-572-9083.</span></span></span></p>
<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/News28/5/26/2015 12:00:00 AMWilliston Parks and Recreation District Announced as Finalist for the 2015 National Gold Medal Awards in Parks and Recreation<p><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
<u>To News Media Director:</u><br />
&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Williston Parks and Recreation District Announced as Finalist for the&nbsp;<span style="font-weight:normal">2015 National Gold Medal Awards in Parks and Recreation</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">&nbsp;<br />
Williston, ND, May 21, 2015 &ndash; The <a href="http://www.aapra.org/">American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration</a> (AAPRA), in partnership with the <a href="http://www.nrpa.org/">National Recreation and Park Association</a> (NRPA), is pleased to announce Williston Parks and Recreation District as a finalist for the 2015 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. This year&rsquo;s proud sponsor of the Gold Medal Awards program is Musco Lighting LLC.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Celebrating its 50<sup>th</sup> anniversary with NRPA and founded in 1965, the Gold Medal Awards program honors communities in the U.S. that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition. Applications are separated into seven classes, with five classes based on population, one class for armed forces recreation and one class for state park systems awarded on odd numbered years.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Williston Parks and Recreation District is a finalist in the Class V category.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of citizens, staff and elected officials. Williston Parks and Recreation District joins three other finalists in their class that will compete for grand honors this year.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Darin Krueger, Executive Director, Williston Parks &amp; Recreation District stated, &ldquo;Williston Parks and Recreation District is very honored to be a finalist for this prestigious national award.&nbsp; The team in Williston includes past and present Park Board Commissioners, the entire staff as well as the citizens of Williston. Together, we are improving the quality of life for everyone during this incredible time of growth in our community.&rdquo;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
A panel of five park and recreation professionals reviews and judges all application materials. Judges are chosen for their considerable experience and knowledge in parks and recreation on both the local and national levels.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
This year&rsquo;s finalists will compete for Grand Plaque Award honors this summer, and the seven Grand Plaque recipients will be announced live during the Opening General Session at the 2015 NRPA Annual Conference in Las Vegas, NV, Sept. 15-17.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
For more information on the Gold Medal Awards, visit <a href="http://www.nrpa.org/goldmedal">www.nrpa.org/goldmedal</a> or <a href="http://www.aapra.org/">www.aapra.org</a>.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</span></span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/GoldMedalAwards/5/22/2015 12:00:00 AMJames Memorial Art Center presents "Oil on Oil" exhibit<span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">The James Memorial Art Center is proud to present &ldquo;Canvasing theBakken Oil Fields: Oil on Oil&rdquo;by Minneapolis artist Joe Burns June 2-28, 2015.<br />
<br />
Burns will debut his latest work during the world premier of his new exhibit at the James Memorial Art Center.&nbsp;</span></span></span><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:14px">The exhibition will travel next to Minnesota this summer in July at Capella Towers in downtown Minneapolis, then back to North Dakota later this fall and into 2016.&nbsp;</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">An opening reception with Burns will take place at The James on June 4th from 6-8 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public.<br />
<br />
The James Memorial Art Center is located at 621 First Avenue Westin Williston.Gallery hours areMonday-Thursday 9am-2pm and Friday 1:00pm-5:00pm,and 1:00&ndash;5:00 pmon Sunday.&nbsp; There is no admission charge.&nbsp; For further information, please contact the James at 701-774-3601.</span></span></span><br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/OilOnOil/5/18/2015 12:00:00 AMFarmer's Market 2015<p><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">WILLISTON, N.D. - Williston Downtowners Association will be hosting the Farmers&nbsp;Market again this year running every Saturday, rain or shine, beginning June 20th&nbsp;through October 17th. The Farmers Market will be from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm or until&nbsp;goods are sold out in the Broadway &amp; 1st Avenue West Parking Lot (Upper Missouri&nbsp;District Health Unit Lot).<br />
<br />
&ldquo;We are excited to have returning vendors and already have&nbsp;new vendors signing up!&rdquo; said Executive Director, Karissa Kjos. The Downtowners will&nbsp;be having a vendor meeting in its office at 8 East Broadway at 10:00 am on Saturday,&nbsp;June 6th for any vendors that are interested in receiving more information. &ldquo;There is&nbsp;more structure this year and a few rule changes so we are highly encouraging everyone&nbsp;to come to the meeting or at least give us a call,&rdquo; said Kjos.<br />
<br />
If you are interested in more information you can contact the Williston Downtowners<br />
Association at (701) 580-9343 or willistondowntowners@gmail.com. You can also keep<br />
updated on the Farmers Market by &ldquo;Liking&rdquo; their Facebook page:<br />
www.facebook.com/WillistonDFM.</span></span></p>
<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/News26/5/18/2015 12:00:00 AMOutdoor Recreation is Abundant in Northwestern North Dakota<p><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Outdoor Recreation is Abundant in Northwestern North Dakota<br />
&nbsp;<br />
BISMARCK, ND &ndash; Spring has arrived in North Dakota with temperatures warming, trees blooming and wildlife becoming more active as winter loses its hold on the state. &nbsp;North Dakota&rsquo;s outdoors are buzzing with activity this time of year and there are many ways to witness it firsthand, especially in the northwestern part of the state.<br />
<br />
Birding, scenic drives, day hikes and canoe trips are all easily accessible and offer travelers, families and adventure-seekers some of the best outdoor fun North Dakota has to offer.<br />
<br />
Little Missouri State Park is a great choice for travelers, families and adventure-seekers with more than 47 miles of hiking and horse trails. Set in the rugged Little Missouri breaks country, some of the most picturesque Badlands scenery can be found at Little Missouri State Park. Visitors are treated to an authentic western North Dakota experience near Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the Killdeer Mountains and the Killdeer Mountain Four Bears Scenic Byway. This more primitive park lets visitors really experience the Badlands as they have access to rustic cabins perched on rugged cliffs. The camping facilities cater to the horse enthusiasts providing corrals, concessions for horses and guide service to some of the most challenging trail rides in the state. <a href="http://www.parkrec.nd.gov/parks/lmosp/lmosp.html">Learn more</a><br />
<br />
Lewis &amp; Clark State Park, south of Ray<br />
On an upper bay of Lake Sakakawea, Lewis and Clark State Park is near an actual 1805 campsite of the famed explorers. The lake offers excellent fishing (walleye, sauger and northern pike) and boating opportunities. The park has a swimming beach with washed sand and a newly updated store for camping foods and supplies. <a href="http://www.parkrec.nd.gov/parks/lcsp/lcsp.html">Learn more</a><br />
<br />
Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge Scenic Backway, Kenmare<br />
Beginning at US Highway 52, 6 miles south of Kenmare, the Des Lacs National Wildlife Scenic Backway (not paved) in the northwest corner of North Dakota provides excellent access to view the rolling hills and wooded draws of the Des Lacs Valley. The most exciting experience is the excellent wildlife viewing platforms &ndash; more than 250 species of birds have been seen here and include waterfowl, raptors and many other migratory birds. Deer, moose and other wildlife are also seen along this route. <a href="http://www.parkrec.nd.gov/byways/deslacs/deslacs.html">Learn more</a><br />
<br />
Confluence Canoe Trail, Williston<br />
This nine-mile canoe adventure on the great Missouri River consists of two segments in the area where explorers Lewis and Clark once spent time. The first segment starts at Fort Union National Trading Post Historic Site and follows the Missouri River. The second segment starts at the Fairview Lift Bridge and follows the Yellowstone River to the Confluence Interpretive Center. <a href="http://www.ndtourism.com/articles/make-splash-north-dakota">Learn more</a><br />
<br />
Little Muddy Canoe Trail, Williston<br />
The six-mile canoe trail on the Little Muddy River begins at Thompson's Landing and heads northeast to the White Bridge access point. <a href="http://www.ndtourism.com/articles/make-splash-north-dakota">Learn more</a><br />
<br />
Crow Flies High State Recreation Area, New Town<br />
This scenic overlook just west of New Town provides views of Four Bears Bridge and Lake Sakakawea. The free day-use recreation area can easily be explored by foot. <a href="http://www.parkrec.nd.gov/recreationareas/cfhra/cfhra.html">Learn more</a><br />
<br />
Indian Hills State Recreation Area, west of Garrison<br />
Indian Hills State Recreation Area offers camping, modern and primitive cabins and a full-service marina with a camp store and fishing guide service. It is operated by the privately-owned Indian Hills Resort. The area is known for walleye fishing but Lake Sakakawea also offers northern pike, small mouth bass, catfish and white bass. The Nux Baa Ga Trail, which means &ldquo;All the People&rdquo; in Arikara, winds six miles with the lake as its backdrop for hikers, horseback riders and bicyclists. &nbsp;With nine interpretive, signs it&rsquo;s more than a trail, it&rsquo;s a historical tribute to Elbowoods and surrounding communities that were lost to the lake. <a href="http://www.parkrec.nd.gov/recreationareas/ihra/ihra.html">Learn more</a><br />
<br />
The Links of North Dakota, Ray<br />
Rated a Top 100 golf course by Golf Week and Golf Digest, The Links presents golfers with an authentic links-style golfing experience on the shores of Lake Sakakawea. While water doesn&rsquo;t come into play on this par-72 championship course, 82 sand bunkers will.&nbsp; <a href="http://www.thelinksofnorthdakota.com/">Learn more</a><br />
<br />
Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive Center, Williston<br />
The Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive Center tells the story of the confluence of these two mighty rivers and provides the same magnificent view that Lewis and Clark Expedition members enjoyed in 1805 and 1806. The center&rsquo;s rotunda includes three large murals featuring quotes from the Lewis and Clark Journals and paintings of the Missouri River landscape by Colonel Philippe R&eacute;gis de Trobriand, commanding officer of Fort Stevenson near present-day Garrison, N.D., in the late 1860s. <a href="http://history.nd.gov/historicsites/mycic/">Learn more</a><br />
<br />
Birding on the Lewis &amp; Clark Trail, Alexander<br />
Birders can search out roughly 350 bird species in North Dakota. Birding on the western North Dakota Lewis &amp; Clark Trail includes Williston Marsh, Lewis and Clark State Park, the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the Little Missouri National Grasslands and Lake Zahl National Wildlife Refuge. On mostly paved roads, you&rsquo;ll have easy, convenient access along the way. &nbsp;<a href="http://www.ndtourism.com/articles/adventures-north-dakota">Learn more</a><br />
<br />
Nature Conservancy Property at Davis Ranch, Denhoff<br />
One of the best displays of truly native prairie in North Dakota, Davis Ranch is also one of the largest prairie landscapes in the Missouri Coteau. It is also the largest Nature Conservancy Preserve in North Dakota. Here you&rsquo;ll find pothole wetlands, silverberry shrubland, western wheatgrass grassland and needlegrass grassland. &nbsp;<a href="http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/northdakota/placesweprotect/davis-ranch.xml">Learn more</a><br />
<br />
These are just a few outdoor recreation activities available in northwest North Dakota. For more information, go to <a href="http://www.ndtourism.com">NDtourism.com</a> or phone 701-328-2525 or 800-435-5663.&nbsp;<br />
###</span></span></p>
<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/OutdoorRecreationisAbundantinNorthwesternNorthDakota/4/29/2015 12:00:00 AMThe James presents “Based Couture” By Shane Brinster<span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">April 1-30, 2015<br />
<br />
The James Memorial Art Center is proud to present &ldquo;Based Couture&rdquo; by Shane Brinster.<br />
This Exhibition is sponsored by the North Dakota Art gallery Association with support from the North Dakota Council on the Arts.<br />
<br />
Shane Brinster is a multi-media artist from North Dakota. In the past he has lived in Albuquerque, Austin and San Francisco, and has resided in Sawyer, North Dakota since 1999. Shane attended the University of New Mexico, where he studied video editing and sculpture. His paintings have been shown at the Taube Museum of Art in Minot. His current work consists of spray paint on canvas, applied via a combination of freehand and stencils.<br />
<br />
&quot;My work is postmodern; incorporating aspects of pop art, graffiti art and abstract expressionism. The primary inspirations for my current work are media which appropriate existing forms; recontextualizing them and synthesizing entirely new creations.&quot;<br />
<br />
The James Memorial Art Center is located at 621 First Avenue Westin Williston.Gallery hours areMonday-Thursday 9am-2pm and Friday 1:00pm-5:00pm,and 1:00&ndash;5:00 pmon Sunday.&nbsp; There is no admission charge.&nbsp; For further information, please contact the James at 701-774-3601.</span></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">###</span></span></span></div>
<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/TheJamespresentsBasedCoutureByShaneBrinster/3/13/2015 12:00:00 AMSummer Music Series Coming Downtown<br />
<span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">WILLISTON, N.D. - Williston Downtowners Association will be hosting an eight week<br />
music series Downtown this summer. The series will be on Thursday nights from 5:00<br />
pm - 9:00 pm starting July 2nd and going until August 20th. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ll be closing off a<br />
portion of the streets Downtown and encouraging stores to extend their hours.&rdquo; said<br />
Executive Director, Karissa Kjos.<br />
<br />
The event is free to the community and it will be a&nbsp;time for families to come together, old friends to catch up, co-workers to get out of the&nbsp;office, and new friends to meet. The Williston Downtowners Association was awarded&nbsp;a $30,000 Event Grant from the Williston Convention and Visitors Bureau to assist with&nbsp;the series. &ldquo;We are thankful for their donation to help us get this series going. We also&nbsp;will be partnering with eight different businesses to make the summer music series a&nbsp;success!&rdquo; said Kjos. Mark your calendars now because you will not want to miss this&nbsp;event.<br />
<br />
For More Information Contact:&nbsp;Karissa Kjos, Executive Director at&nbsp;(701) 580-9343.</span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/SummerMusicSeriesComingDowntown/1/23/2015 12:00:00 AMManLog Scheduled for Late March <span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000">WILLISTON, N.D., January 12, 2015<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Enhanced Bakken Supply Chain Initiative Launched<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Williston Economic Development announces the Enhanced Bakken Supply Chain Initiative. The initiative aims to reduce costs and increase efficiencies for Bakken operators while expanding manufacturing and logistics business development in the Bakken region.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&ldquo;The oil and gas operators in the Williston Basin face a higher break-even crude price due to higher costs and inefficiencies in the Bakken supply chain,&rdquo; stated Shawn Wenko, Executive Director of Williston Economic Development. &ldquo;On the other hand, we have regional manufacturers and logistics companies that can serve the oil and gas industry in a way that reduces costs and turn-around times as this market begins to mature.&rdquo;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
To kick off the initiative, Williston Economic Development has partnered with DAWA Solutions Group to produce the 1st Annual Manufacturing and Logistics Conference (ManLog) March 25-26, 2015 in Williston, North Dakota. The energy industry utilizes high volumes of commodities and an array of specialty tools and equipment; however, the majority of these products is located hundreds of miles away and are costly to source and transport. ManLog will bring regional businesses closer to the Oil Patch together with the oil and gas industry to understand the industry and explore mutually beneficial business development opportunities. ManLog will bring together manufacturers, machinists, suppliers, commodity sources, manufacturer&rsquo;s reps, logistics companies and other stakeholders with the energy industry to explore these opportunities.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&ldquo;One of our goals in 2015 is to help more of our regional manufacturing firms get connected to the oil and gas industry,&rdquo; said Wenko. &ldquo;Given the magnitude and expected duration of this $30 billion industry, now is the time to grow and diversify our economy throughout the region.&rdquo;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
The Enhanced Bakken Supply Chain initiative reaches far beyond the Williston Basin into the greater region.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&ldquo;We fully recognize the labor and other challenges facing manufacturing in the Williston basin,&rdquo; explains Jeff Zarling, President of DAWA Solutions Group. &ldquo;While we may need to make widgets in Wahpeton, it is important to own the supply chain in Williston. The well-head is where the problems exist, the relationships are built, and the solutions are developed. We need to start connecting those dots with regional manufacturers that can deliver more cost-effective products and services. The end result is a win-win with reduced costs for operators and economic development and diversification for companies and communities throughout the region,&rdquo; added Zarling. &ldquo;At a time when our regional Ag manufacturers are facing a downturn, the oil and gas industry represents an opportunity to diversify their markets.&rdquo;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Beyond opportunities in the product and service supply chain that serves the oil and gas operators, the conference will explore opportunities that exist in value-added energy business development. North Dakota&rsquo;s oil and gas production provides significant feedstock for value-added energy development or downstream opportunities such as LNG processing, fertilizer production, petro-chemical plants and others.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
ManLog will feature informative presentations, industry related panel discussions, product and opportunity exploration, networking opportunities, and a trade show.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
The conference will be held March 25 -26, 2015 in Williston, North Dakota, at The Well on the Williston State College campus.<br />
Conference Topics:<br />
-Market Overview: Product &amp; Service Supply Chain in the oil and gas industry<br />
&nbsp;<br />
-Study: Cost Reduction through Supply Chain Enhancement in the Bakken<br />
&nbsp;<br />
-Exploration &amp; Production Company Perspectives (Oil Companies)<br />
&nbsp;<br />
-Product &amp; Service Development in the Bakken Region (Success Stories)<br />
&nbsp;<br />
-Manufacturing in the Bakken &ndash; A Regional Initiative<br />
&nbsp;<br />
-Regional Manufacturing Capabilities<br />
&nbsp;<br />
-Value-Added Energy Development (Downstream)<br />
&nbsp;<br />
-North Dakota NGL Market Study &ndash; Presented by IHS<br />
&nbsp;<br />
-Logistics &ndash; Materials Management &amp; Transportation Opportunities<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Information and registration:<br />
For more information, sponsorship and online registration, visit </span><a href="http://www.ManLogND.com"><span style="color:#000000">www.ManLogND.com</span></a></span></span><br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/ManLogScheduledforLateMarch/1/12/2015 12:00:00 AMNorth Dakota Hosted 24 Million Visitors in 2013<span style="font-size:12px"><span style="color:#000000">BISMARCK, N.D. &ndash; Governor Jack Dalrymple and North Dakota Tourism Division Director Sara Otte Coleman today announced the state&rsquo;s visitor numbers from 2013. A total of 24 million people visited North Dakota in 2013, spending $3.6 billion in-state in the process. The information was gathered by IHS as part of the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA), which is the international standard for measuring the contribution of tourism to an economy.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;North Dakota is truly a legendary place with a rich history, beautiful scenery and a variety of things to experience,&rdquo; Dalrymple said. &ldquo;We are pleased to have welcomed 24 million visitors to our state in 2013, and look forward to bringing more people here each year. North Dakota is increasingly becoming a destination state and we welcome the opportunity to show off all we have to offer.&rdquo;<br />
<br />
Visitation saw a 22 percent increase between 2011 and 2013, with tourism-related expenditures increasing 19 percent over the same time period. In fact, tourism to North Dakota grew so much over the last decade that domestic leisure travel alone in 2013 was equal to the state&rsquo;s total visitation numbers in 2008. This includes day-trips, overnight vacations and those visiting friends and relatives. In fact, the North Dakota State Fair, State Parks and the Fargodome all boasted record attendance in 2013.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;While the major attention surrounding North Dakota&rsquo;s economy is focused on energy and agriculture, tourism is an extremely valuable industry to our state&rsquo;s bottom line,&rdquo; Otte Coleman said. &ldquo;The tourism division is pleased to continue elevating North Dakota in minds of travelers and to bring in additional tax revenue that supports industry growth.&rdquo;<br />
<br />
The $3.6 billion in tourism expenditures from 2013 resulted in $307 million in state and local government taxes paid by visitors. That is the equivalent to a resident tax savings of $1,011 per household or the equivalent of paying for the education of roughly 24,000 public school students.<br />
<br />
The majority of expenditures, 55 percent, came from visitors from other U.S. states. International travelers made up 10 percent of the total, and in-state residents traveling to other parts of North Dakota accounted for 14 percent of spending.<br />
<br />
All 53 of North Dakota&rsquo;s counties also took in tourism revenue. The county with the highest revenue was Cass County at $537.36 million. Oliver County had the lowest at $2.08 million.<br />
<br />
The majority of visitor expenditures were on food at just over $1 billion. That was followed by shopping at $805 million and accommodations at $544 million.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
North Dakota Tourism commissions the study on TSA data every other year, which counts employment, sales and Gross Domestic Product, and allows (implicitly) for measurement of wages and taxes.<br />
<br />
IHS is a leading business information services company based in Colorado, and provides North Dakota&rsquo;s TSA information. IHS Travel and Tourism provides forecasting, research and economic impact analysis for a variety of private organizations, national tourism boards, as well as state and local tourism entities.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;The U.S. tourism industry has rebounded nicely since the Great Recession, but during that same time period, North Dakota tourism has grown by nearly 50 percent,&rdquo; Shane Norton, director of economic impact analysis for IHS, said. &ldquo;This explosive growth has been driven by a significant increase in visitation as well as per visitor spending, contributing to a significant rise in tourism related construction and investment.&rdquo;<br />
<br />
View North Dakota&rsquo;s 2013 TSA report at </span><a href="http://www.ndtourism.com/information/north-dakota-tourism-facts-and-reports"><span style="color:#000000">http://www.ndtourism.com/information/north-dakota-tourism-facts-and-reports</span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="color:#000000">Today North Dakota Tourism also unveiled the 2015 Travel Guide, State Map, and Hunting and Fishing Guide. Each of these resources helps visitors and potential visitors to plan their Legendary experiences, whether they be outdoors, urban, cultural, historical or otherwise. Both guides and the map are available at NDtourism.com.</span></span><br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/NorthDakotaHosted24MillionVisitorsin2013/1/9/2015 12:00:00 AMShop Small November 29th<br />
<span style="font-size:12px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000">Williston &ndash; November 12, 2014</span> &ndash; Williston Downtowners Association and Williston Area<br />
Chamber of Commerce today announced their participation in Small Business Saturday, taking<br />
place on November 29, 2014. Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to strengthening the<br />
community by supporting local small businesses. &ldquo;Small businesses help make Downtown<br />
Williston a vibrant and unique shopping destination,&rdquo; said Williston Downtowners Association<br />
Executive Director, Karissa Kjos.<br />
<br />
Williston Downtowners Association and Williston Area Chamber of Commerce recognize the<br />
importance of supporting small business in Williston, the jobs they help create and the culture<br />
they instill in local communities. &ldquo;Regardless of where you live, small businesses remain the<br />
backbone of local economies and have been for generations,&rdquo; said Williston Area Chamber of<br />
Commerce Executive Director, Scott Meske. According to the U.S. Small Businesses<br />
Administration, as of 2012, small businesses nationwide accounted for 64% of net new privatesector<br />
jobs created and represented 99.7% of all employer firms(1).<br />
<br />
Downtown participating businesses are: All Season Sport About, Basil Sushi Bar and Asian<br />
Bistro, Books on Broadway, Bride to Be Ltd., Castle Framing, Cedar Chest, Cooks on Main,<br />
Daily Addiction Coffee House, House to Home, Larry Lynn Antiques, Ritter Brothers, Service<br />
Drug Pharmacy, Shepherd&rsquo;s Garden, The Salvation Army Store.<br />
<br />
Now in its fifth year, Small Business Saturday serves as the ceremonial kickoff to the holiday<br />
shopping season for small businesses across the United States. In 2013, nearly 1,500<br />
Neighborhood Champions rallied local businesses and created events and activities to drive<br />
shopping at small businesses around the country. Merchants and consumers can learn more<br />
about Small Business Saturday and how to get involved by visiting ShopSmall.com and the<br />
official Small Business Saturday Facebook page.<br />
<br />
Contact:<br />
Karissa Kjos<br />
Executive Director, Williston Downtowners Association<br />
(701) 580-9343<br />
willistondowntowners@gmail.com<br />
<br />
ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY<br />
November 29th marks the fifth annual Small Business Saturday, a day to support the local<br />
businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the<br />
country. Small Business Saturday was created in 2010 in response to small business owners&rsquo;<br />
most pressing need: more customers. To date, more than 3.3 million Facebook users &ldquo;liked&rdquo; the<br />
Small Business Saturday page(2). Just last year, 370+ advocacy organizations, 160+<br />
corporations, and elected officials in all 50 states and Washington D.C. declared their support<br />
for Small Business Saturday.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size:8px">1 Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy Frequently Asked Questions, September 2012<br />
2 According to Facebook Insights, the Small Business Saturday page on Facebook</span></span></span><br />
&nbsp;<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/News19/11/13/2014 12:00:00 AMRun For Help Zombie 5k This Weekend<span style="font-size:14px">Williston, N.D. &ndash; The Williston Convention and Visitor&rsquo;s Bureau (CVB) Basin United Way of Williston are partnering up for the 2<sup>nd</sup> Annual Run for Help, a 5k fun run where participants are chased through a zombie infested course in Spring Lake Park.<br />
<br />
The 5k Zombie Challenge is scheduled for October 25, rain or shine, at 5:30pm. Registration is at 4pm at the keel boat building in Spring Lake Park. A chili feed is scheduled for after the race and participants and observers will also enjoy music by Saucy Jack DJ Service. Runners can participate either solo or as part of Zombie Outbreak Response Team (limit 6 per team) for a $5 discount. Volunteer zombies are also welcome to participate and chase the runners. Zombies are asked to report to the keel boat building at 3pm for instructions. Proceeds from this fun run benefit Williston Basin United Way.<br />
<br />
Zombies are volunteers on a mission to snatch the race flags from around a belt each runner picks up at the beginning of the race. Runners who successfully navigate the course with a flag still attached to their belt are entered in a prize drawing. This year, the course has been revised so runners are not required to cross any major roads or contend with traffic outside the park. To make up the distance, a couple trail and terrain challenge components have been added to the course. Although families are welcome, please note there are a couple spots on the course that are not stroller friendly and/or where young kids may require assistance.<br />
<br />
Questions or comments this information may be directed to the Williston CVB at 701-774-9041. Find the registration form can be found at <a href="http://www.visitwilliston.com/calendar/Event47">http://www.visitwilliston.com/calendar/Event47</a> or fill out your form at the race.</span><br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/RunForHelp/10/21/2014 12:00:00 AMNovember at The James: Souls of Silver<p><span style="font-size:14px">The exhibit at The James Memorial Art Center this November is titled &quot;Souls of Silver&quot; by photographer Shane Balkowitsch. The exhibit is scheduled for&nbsp;<span class="copybold" style="color:rgb(70, 70, 70); font-weight:bold">November 2-29.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px">Shane Balkowitsch founded Nostalgic Glass Wet Plate Studio in 2012 in Bismarck, ND.&nbsp; Since then he has captured incredible portraits using the wet plate photographic technique. Information about the process will be available during the exhibit.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px">&ldquo;Digital photography relies on technology. Wet plate photography relies on 160-year-old chemistry, a bit of magic, and some luck. I think it is very important that as technology moves forward, we embrace and continue to celebrate and not forget important processes from the past. Wet plate photography is one of those processes. Every time I show someone the wet plate process, they are absolutely amazed regarding the ability to get a photograph using some chemicals and pieces of hand-cut glass.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px">The James Memorial Art Center is located at 621 First Avenue Westin Williston.Gallery hours areMonday-Thursday 9am-2pm and Friday 1:00pm-5:00pm,and 1:00&ndash;5:00pm on Sunday.&nbsp; There is no admission charge.&nbsp; For further information, please contact the James at 701-774-3601.</span></p>
<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/SoulsOfSilver/10/16/2014 12:00:00 AMDowntown Parking Survey<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="background-color:rgb(251, 252, 249); color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">In March of 2014, the City Commission adopted a Downtown Plan. In that Plan, and in all of the comments the city gathered during the planning process, it was learned that downtown parking is a concern to visitors to our Downtown.&nbsp;</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color:rgb(251, 252, 249); color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">A parking committee has been formed to help find solutions to these concerns. One of the largest of those concerns is whether or not the Downtown needs a parking garage. </span></span></span><span style="background-color:rgb(251, 252, 249); color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:14.3999996185303px">A</span><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="background-color:rgb(251, 252, 249); color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"> parking study from Rich &amp; Associates has been commissioned in order to help determine:&nbsp;</span><br />
<span style="background-color:rgb(251, 252, 249); color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">1. How to better manage the parking we currently have.</span><br />
<span style="background-color:rgb(251, 252, 249); color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">2. How to find the &ldquo;tipping point&rdquo; at which we need a parking garage Downtown.</span><br />
<span style="background-color:rgb(251, 252, 249); color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">3. How to locate, fund, construct, and manage that parking garage.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color:rgb(251, 252, 249); color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">The links below lead to surveys regarding Downtown parking. Please choose the survey which most closely describes your relationship with Downtown Williston. Thank you for your participation!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color:rgb(251, 252, 249); color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">Downtown&nbsp;<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Willistonbusinessowner">Business Owner Survey</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color:rgb(251, 252, 249); color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">Downtown&nbsp;<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Willistonemployeesurvey">Employee Survey</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color:rgb(251, 252, 249); color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">Downtown&nbsp;<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Willistoncustomersurvey">Customer Survey</a></span></span></span><br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/DowntownParkingSurvey/9/29/2014 12:00:00 AMService Announcement from Public Works: Broken Tree Limbs<span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Trees and branches left over from the September 3 storm may be placed in bundles on residential boulevards for pickup by Williston Public Works. Public Works will be collecting only bundled branches of 4 foot length or less September 4-6.<br />
Branches may also be placed in community compost containers normally reserved for grass clippings only. Branches may be deposited until September 15, after which only grass clippings will be accepted at compost sites.<br />
Compost Container Sites:</span></span></span>
<ol>
<li><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Rickard School 14<sup>th</sup> St E and 2<sup>nd</sup> Ave</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Corner of 5<sup>th</sup> St E and 8<sup>th</sup> Ave E</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Corner of 26<sup>th</sup> St and 19<sup>th</sup> Ave W</span></span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Residents are encouraged to haul their own tree branches to the landfill; branches will be accepted from Williston residents free of charge until September 15. Commercial rates remain in effect for commercial haulers and businesses.&nbsp;</span></span></span><br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/ServiceAnnouncementfromPublicWorksBrokenTreeLimbs/9/4/2014 12:00:00 AMFort Union Transitions to Fall/Winter Hours<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="color:#000000">On September 2, Fort Union will transition from summer hours to fall hours.&nbsp; These hours will be from 9:00 am &ndash; 5:30 pm (Central Time).&nbsp; These hours will be in effect on September 2 and go to the beginning of Memorial Weekend, 2015.<br />
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Fort Union&rsquo;s Trade House will be open every day throughout most of September with living history interpreters.&nbsp; Stop in at the visitor&rsquo;s center to get the latest updates on our changes or any upcoming events, or visit our website at </span><a href="http://www.nps.gov/fous"><span style="color:#000000">www.nps.gov/fous</span></a><span style="color:#000000"> or on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fort-Union-Trading-Post-National-Historic-Site/118231345800"><span style="color:#000000">Facebook</span></a><span style="color:#000000">.<br />
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Fort Union is open from 8:00 am to 6:30 pm CDT daily at Fort Union until the 2<sup>nd</sup> of September. &nbsp;Fort Union Trading Post is located 24 miles north of Sidney, Montana and 25 miles southwest of Williston, North Dakota, via highway 1804.&nbsp; While here, visitors are encouraged to tour the reconstructed fort, trade room and bourgeois house.&nbsp; Fort Union is free of charge to visit.<br />
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For more information on Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site contact the park at 701-572-9083.</span></span></span><br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/FortUnionTransitionstoFallWinterHours/8/29/2014 12:00:00 AMCity of Williston Officially Opens 32nd Avenue WILLISTON, N.D. &ndash; Traffic congestion is expected to improve following the highly anticipated grand opening of a major thoroughfare in Williston on August 11, 2014. An official ribbon cutting ceremony was hosted at 10 a.m. by the Williston Chamber of Commerce at the roundabout located at the intersection of 32nd Ave. N and 26th St. W, near the new Harvest Hills subdivision.<br />
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Completion of the northern portion of 32nd Ave. will provide a key element of infrastructure needed to develop Williston&rsquo;s up-and-coming retail sector in the Sand Creek Town Centre, a Granite Peak Development project, and the location of Sakura Japanese Steakhouse. This will also lead motorists to the future site of Menards, a Wisconsin-based home improvement store which submitted building plans to the City of Williston in late July. The project was a collaborative effort, according to Mayor Howard Klug, who says 32nd Ave. is &quot;a classic example of what a public/private working agreement can accomplish for the City of Williston.&quot;&nbsp;<br />
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The development of western Williston is a strong indicator of the tremendous growth occurring in the heart of the Bakken oil play. No one has a better understanding of this than the Hagan family, who played an essential role in this project. The family&rsquo;s farmstead is intersected by 32nd Ave.; something Kathleen and her late husband, Dr. Edward J. &quot;Bud&quot; Hagan, often contemplated as they witnessed Williston&rsquo;s transition in becoming America&rsquo;s fastest growing micropolitan city over the past three years. &ldquo;Bud would be proud to see what is happening in our community and how our farm is an integral part of Williston&rsquo;s development going into the future,&rdquo; says Kathleen, who still lives on the family farm.<br />
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Oasis Petroleum was also a key player in bringing the project to fruition, according to City of Williston&rsquo;s Engineer, Bob Hanson. In exchange for procuring the right-of-way for their installation of a gas-gathering system, Oasis agreed to complete the dirt work and installed a box culvert. This tradeoff was a &ldquo;big help to the City of Williston that is certainly appreciated,&rdquo; says Hanson. Other pivotal entities involved in the project include design engineer, Sanderson &amp; Stewart; contractor, Knife River Corporation; Acme Concrete; and of course, former Mayor Ward Koeser; and former City Engineer, Monte Meiers.&nbsp;<br />
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In addition to a more convenient commute, it will give residents an alternate route to utilize during the truck bypass construction; residents also have increased access to schools, hospitals, and supermarkets. Completion of the project is also expected to regulate traffic flow and reduce accidents.<br />
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The Hagan family has a great deal to be proud of as Williston continues to grow. &ldquo;Our whole family looks forward to seeing these new and modern developments that will make Williston an even better place to live in the future,&rdquo; adds Kathleen.&nbsp;<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/32ndAvenue/8/11/2014 12:00:00 AMFrench Born Artist Lydia Richez-Bowman to Exhibit in WillistonThe public is invited to attend &ldquo;White Rabbit Memories and More,&quot; a collection by Lydia Richez-Bowman&nbsp;August 1-31.<br />
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Lydia Richez-Bowman, a French born artist, currently lives in Bismarck, North Dakota. She moved to Bismarck from San Diego, California, with her family, and her art is still influenced by the light, energy and culture of southern California, as well as the North Dakota seasons.<br />
Ms. Richez-Bowman is an award winning artist with many of her paintings accepted into innumerable juried and individual exhibitions, as well as various independent showings. Assortments of her paintings are in private collections here and abroad.<br />
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She has taught art classes to children and adults, both privately and in groups. Ms. Richez-Bowman is also on the board of the Dakota West Arts Council in Bismarck, a member of Bismarck Art &amp; Galleries, and Bismarck Downtown Artist Co-op.<br />
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The James Memorial Art Center is located at 621 First Avenue Westin Williston.Gallery hours areMonday-Thursday 9am-2pm and Friday 1:00pm-5:00pm,and 1:00&ndash;5:00 pmon Sunday. There is no admission charge. For further information, please contact the James at 701-774-3601.<br />
&nbsp;<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/RichezBowmanExhibit/7/21/2014 12:00:00 AMSmiling Moose Rocky Mountain Deli to Open in Williston, NDWilliston, ND - Moose sightings in Williston are soon to spike with the September 2014 projected opening date of Western North Dakota&rsquo;s first Smiling Moose Rocky Mountain Deli, located at 120 26th St. E, Suite 600. Smiling Moose opened in Colorado&rsquo;s Vail Valley in 2003, and over the years has steadily grown across several Rocky Mountain and Mid-West states including Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Texas, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio &amp; North and South Dakota. Smiling Moose Rocky Mountain Deli, a fast casual concept, is an entirely new concept to Williston &ndash; serving high quality ingredients where veggies are hand chopped, meats are sliced fresh in store and a variety of homemade soups, sauces &amp; desserts round out the hearty, flavorful experience.<br />
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Partners, Nathan Everson &amp; Liza McLean, both North Dakota natives are excited about bringing the Moose to Williston. Everson currently owns two locations in Fargo, ND.<br />
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Everson gives most of the credit for the store&rsquo;s popularity and success in Fargo to the fresh Smiling Moose menu, saying, &ldquo;Every single day someone approaches me to tell me how much they enjoyed their fresh chopped salad, or the chicken noodle soup tasted great, or how &lsquo;Liz&rsquo;s Reuben&rsquo; is their favorite sandwich,&rdquo; he continues &ldquo;we are receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from the Fargo community.&rdquo; In particular, the gluten-free menu has garnered a tremendous amount of attention and Everson was humbled on two different occasions, witnessing guests in tears because they had finally found an option for eating out.<br />
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McLean was first introduced to Smiling Moose Rocky Mountain Deli while working for Kilbourne Group in downtown Fargo. After McLean &amp; her husband moved to Williston, she immediately reached out to Smiling Moose.<br />
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ABOUT SMILING MOOSE ROCKY MOUNTAIN DELI<br />
From our signature Mighty Mo! to the chop of our satisfying salads to the bold flavors of our mouthwatering sandwiches, Smiling Moose Rocky Mountain Deli offers an adventure in taste with every item on the expansive menu. Be brave, be bold; explore the possibilities found in our hearty portions and discover the difference in our fresh ingredients!<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/SmilingMoose/7/7/2014 12:00:00 AMSummertime Social-Cowboys and Caviar The James Memorial Art Center is pleased to announce its first &ldquo;Summertime Social,&rdquo; a new community event to be held on Friday, July 18, 7:30-9:30 pm.<br />
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The Summertime Social will feature one of the Mon-Dak region&rsquo;s unique&nbsp;specialities, caviar, supplied by our local sponsor North Star Caviar. In&nbsp;addition, cowboy-poet-singer Bob Petermann will be singing and strumming his&nbsp;western guitar. The event will also include a selection of delicious handmade&nbsp;desserts, appetizers and a cash bar.&nbsp;<br />
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These tasty morsels can be savored outdoors under a canopy on the front lawn of&nbsp;James. Admission tickets will be available at the door ($10.00). In the event of&nbsp;rain, the event will be held indoors at the James.&nbsp;<br />
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Please join us for a memorable summertime social at the James.&nbsp;<br />
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The James Memorial Art Center is located at 621 First Avenue West in Williston.&nbsp;For further information, please contact the James at<br />
701-774-3601.&nbsp;<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/CowboysAndCaviar/7/7/2014 12:00:00 AM2014 Tourist Attraction of the Year: Fort Buford State Historic Site/Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive CenterNEWS RELEASE<br />
April 16, 2014<br />
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For more information contact<br />
Sara Otte Coleman, Director, Tourism Division<br />
North Dakota Department of Commerce<br />
701-328-2525<br />
NDtourism.com<br />
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Tourism leaders honored with Governor&rsquo;s Travel and Tourism Awards<br />
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Fargo, N.D. &ndash; Four Governor&rsquo;s Travel and Tourism awards, recognizing outstanding leaders in North Dakota&rsquo;s tourism industry, were presented today at the 2014 North Dakota Tourism Conference in Fargo.<br />
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&ldquo;Tourism is one of North Dakota&rsquo;s largest industries and an important contributor to our growing economy,&rdquo; Gov. Jack Dalrymple said. &ldquo;The leaders recognized today are key reasons why visitors enjoy legendary experiences when they come to North Dakota. Congratulations to this year&rsquo;s award recipients, and thank you to all those who work hard to make North Dakota&rsquo;s tourism industry so successful.&rdquo;<br />
&nbsp;Awards were given to:<br />
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Don &amp; Pat Demars, Behind the Scenes Tourism Employees. More than 18 years ago, Don and Pat Demars retired from farming in the Cavalier area, trading in their tractors to become full-time RVers. Since then, this couple has served as campground hosts for the North Dakota Parks &amp; Recreation Department for 15 years at nine different North Dakota state parks. In that time, they racked up nearly 10,000 hours of volunteer labor assisting park employees and doing an outstanding job welcoming guests and being great ambassadors of North Dakota. The Demars eventually sold their RV and made their permanent home in Grand Forks, but remain active volunteers at Turtle River State Park.<br />
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Mandan Rodeo Days Celebration, Event of the Year. The Mandan Rodeo Days Celebration marks its 135<sup>th</sup> anniversary this year. This three-day event, held around the July Fourth holiday, is rich in history and tradition, and is truly a family western experience. More than 25,000 people annually attend the Mandan Rodeo Days Celebration. The PRCA rodeo provides a taste of our state&rsquo;s Western Culture, and the Celebration&rsquo;s wide variety of events keep kids and adults entertained. Kids can enjoy dummy roping, stick horse racing, a doll and pet parade, covered wagon rides and the Mighty Thomas Carnival, just to name a few. The Art in the Park Festival, held July 3 and 4, features more than 135 art and crafts booth, along with approximately 30 food vendors. The three-day event concludes on July Fourth with a 170-unit parade, a 5K walk and run, a golf tournament, baseball games and a gigantic fireworks display after the July Fourth rodeo. The Rodeo Days Festival has received numerous awards both locally and nationally as well and has raised more than $40,000 over the last 3 years for the Wounded Warrior Charity.&nbsp;<br />
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Gabriel Mejia, Staybridge Suites Hotel, Minot, Front-line Tourism Employee. As the front office manager at the Staybridge Suites in Minot, Meija is the first person guests come in contact with upon their arrival or when calling on the phone. His warm smile, quick wit and positive attitude immediately put them at ease. In addition to this, Meija&rsquo;s legendary customer service is top notch. He regularly goes above and beyond to make guests feel comfortable, and has even made special accommodations for guests who needed special assistance. He is a true example of North Dakota hospitality at its finest.<br />
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Fort Buford State Historic Site/Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive Center, near Williston, Tourist Attraction of the Year. Located near the North Dakota-Montana border, this attraction is a great family destination with year-round offerings that draws people from all 50 states and 30 countries annually. Visitors can delve into history with on-site tours, History Alive presentations, permanent and temporary gallery exhibits, summer encampments, monthly concerts and more. The nearby walking paths along the river provide interpretation about the flora and fauna of the area. With the influx of people to the Williston area that now call North Dakota home, Fort Buford State Historic Site and the Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive Center has been a great discovery for the state&rsquo;s new residents. Not only does it give our new residents, visitors and long-time residents a glimpse into the state&rsquo;s history, but it represents North Dakota&rsquo;s superb quality of life. Fort Buford State Historic Site/Missouri River-Yellowstone Interpretive Center works closely with the Williston CVB, Fairview, Mont., Chamber of Commerce, other historic sites and state agencies to market itself. Because of its collaborative nature and strong product offering, its visitation numbers have been increasing every year since 2010.<br />
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&ldquo;Our industry partners across North Dakota are an important part of the state&rsquo;s tourism success,&rdquo; Otte Coleman said. &ldquo;Their passion for our state combined with our unique adventures is what makes visitors experiences legendary. We&rsquo;re fortunate to have people in the tourism industry who go to work each day with enthusiasm.&rdquo;<br />
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As one of North Dakota&rsquo;s leading industries, tourism attracts visitors to more than 640 attractions, 357 events and festivals, and 850 lodging options. In addition, more than 33,000 jobs in North Dakota are attributed to this robust industry.<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/AttractionOfTheYear/4/17/2014 12:00:00 AMClean-up Williston Week April 26-May 3<br />
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The City of Williston will launch its Clean-up Williston Week April 26-May 3.&nbsp;<br />
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Beginning Saturday, April 26, Williston residents are encouraged to tidy up their personal property: pick up trash and debris; trim trees and shrubs; remove overgrown weeds; and mow grass.<br />
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&ldquo;The winter months can really take a toll on the appearance of the City and this event lines up perfectly with the spirit of spring cleaning,&rdquo; said Nick Vasuthasawat, City of Williston code compliance coordinator.&nbsp; &ldquo;We always encourage property owners to do their part to beautify the City which in turn fosters a sense of community pride and well-being.&rdquo;<br />
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Clean-up Williston Week is held prior to the Band Day Festival which attracts thousands of spectators to events in Downtown Williston. The week concludes with a city-wide cleaning campaign on Saturday, May 3, from 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.&nbsp; Volunteers will meet in the parking lot of Aafedt Stadium/Davidson Park to receive site assignments and helpful supplies such as gloves, safety vests and garbage bags.&nbsp; Free t-shirts with the slogan I Will Keep Williston Clean. Will You? will be given to helpers while supplies last.<br />
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&ldquo;We have divided the City into sections which are assigned to volunteers,&rdquo; said Clean-up Williston Committee chairperson Dan Manjack.<br />
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If any individual, business or organization would like to adopt a specific section prior to Clean-up Williston Day they can call or text Manjack at <u>701-651-6745</u> or Kelley Rankin at <u>512-659-7187</u> or <u>701-875-3501</u>.<br />
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&ldquo;We have always relied on volunteers to help with the spring cleaning of the City,&rdquo; said Williston Mayor Ward Koeser.&nbsp; &ldquo;But the task has grown as our population, traffic and construction has boomed.&nbsp; We greatly appreciate everyone&rsquo;s efforts to help make this a fresh and friendly City to live, work and play.&rdquo;<br />
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To help with the clean-up effort the City of Williston will have two trash trucks available to pick up trash bags on May 3<sup>rd</sup> and the landfill will be open free of charge from 8 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.<br />
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&ldquo;This is a great time to get rid of unwanted items and improve the appearance of our community and neighborhoods,&rdquo; said Manjack.<br />
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A number of dumpsters will also be available in the parking lot of Aafedt Stadium/Davidson Park.&nbsp; Residential property owners are encouraged to dispose of qualified electronics, tires and garbage at this time.&nbsp; Williston businesses are asked not to utilize these dumpsters.<br />
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Secure Energy Services of Williston will provide a free BBQ to volunteers at noon at Davidson Park.&nbsp; The Clean-up Williston Committee hopes to see you there!<br />
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Submitted by Williston Economic Development<br />
Barbara Peterson, Writer<br />
701-577-8110<br />
&nbsp;<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/CleanCity/4/17/2014 12:00:00 AMSupporting the Arts: Community MosaicCommunity Mosaic<br />
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Mark your calendars and join us at the James Memorial Art Center for the Opening Reception of &quot;Community Mosaic&quot; on Sunday, April 6 from 1-3 pm. Refreshments will be provided. All &quot;Community Mosaic&quot; artists as well as the general public and members of the James are cordially invited to attend.<br />
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Canvases from &quot;Community Mosaic&quot; will be on display in the gallery as one unified mosaic.&nbsp; This colorful piece of art represents the diversity and range of styles of art in our community.<br />
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Throughout the course of the display, each canvas is available for purchase by means of a &ldquo;blind-buy&rdquo; meaning the public is invited to buy numbers at random.&nbsp; Each artwork is assigned a number and corresponds to the number randomly sold. At the time of purchase, the buyer will not know the name of the artist who created the art work.<br />
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The price of each canvas is $25.00. This year some of the funds raised through the &quot;Community Mosaic&quot; will be donated to Banquet West. &nbsp;<br />
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The James Memorial Art Center is located at 621 First Avenue West in Williston.&nbsp; Gallery hours are 9 am &ndash; 2 pm, Monday through Thursday and Friday and Sunday, 1pm to 5 pm.&nbsp; There is no admission charge.&nbsp;<br />
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###&nbsp;<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/CommunityMosaic/4/1/2014 12:00:00 AM"Put a Bird on It" Exhibit at James Memorial Art CenterJames Memorial Art Center announces its upcoming exhibit, &quot;Put A Bird On It.&quot; This exhibit features a variety of bird themed art by Bismarck artists, Ali LaRock and Paul Noot. &nbsp;Each piece of art featured in the show has a bird on it in a variety of styles and mediums. The title of the show was inspired by an episode of the popular television series &ldquo;Portlandia&rdquo; in which the characters go into a store and &lsquo;put birds on things&rsquo; to make them more hip and sellable. Noot, and LaRock, both bird lovers, thought it was a fun idea for a show and they began their bird pieces, each drawing on different personal inspiration.<br />
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A lot of LaRock&rsquo;s inspiration for her bird pieces comes from her personal life and human interaction. She uses birds to symbolize these interactions, ideas, and feelings. Noot&rsquo;s take on the theme is shaped by his North Dakota roots. He also looked at birds that had a kind of spirit toward him and a spirit in general about the human condition.<br />
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LaRock and Noot, both artists living and working in Bismarck, North Dakota, are part of the group of artists who founded the Bismarck Downtown Artist Co-op in 2012. Put A Bird On It first premiered at this gallery in January of this year before beginning its migration pattern around the state.<br />
LaRock received her BFA in painting from Minnesota State University, Moorhead, and works as a teaching artist in area schools and through organizations such as North Dakota Council on the Arts, Sleepy Hollow Summer Fine Arts program, and the International Music Camp.<br />
Noot received his MFA from Brooklyn College in New York. He has worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the North Dakota Museum of Art in Grand Forks. Noot is the chair of the Visual Arts Department at Bismarck High School and teaches classes at Theo Art School, Sleepy Hollow Summer Fine Arts program, and Continuing Education classes for the University of North Dakota.&nbsp;<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/PutABirdOnIt/4/1/2014 12:00:00 AMWilliston Open $76 million Rec Center<p><span style="color:rgb(125, 125, 125); font-family:helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; font-size:13px">March 28, 2014 11:45 pm</span><span style="color:rgb(125, 125, 125); font-family:helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; font-size:13px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span style="color:rgb(125, 125, 125); font-family:helvetica neue,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; font-size:13px">By JOSH WOOD | Associated Press</span><br />
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WILLISTON, N.D. &mdash; Winter's chill is sticking around this spring in the landlocked prairie of North Dakota's oil country, but residents of Williston finally will be able to surf in Boomtown, U.S.A.</p>
<p>On Friday, the city opened a highly anticipated recreation center that officials hope will bring families to the area, which has long been a destination for people who want to work, but not settle down.</p>
<p>The 236,000-square-foot building isn't your run-of-the-mill rec center &mdash; complete with an indoor waterpark complete with a surf simulator &mdash; and is the product of a one-percent sales tax increase approved by city voters in 2011.</p>
<p>&quot;It's the largest park district-owned rec center in the country that I know of,&quot; said Darin Krueger, director of Williston Parks and Recreation. Construction took 18 months and was budgeted at $76 million. The sales tax increase also added to the department's operating budget.</p>
<p>The waterpark nods to the source of Williston's economic and population boom, as representations of an oil derrick and the flickering orange flames of gas flares stand on an island between lazy rivers named after local waterways, like Little Muddy Creek and the Yellowstone River.</p>
<p>The center also has a turf field, basketball courts, tennis courts, a 200-meter track, an elevated walking track, a 50-meter pool, a day care, a kitchen for cooking classes, a senior center, a golf simulator as well as a high-tech baseball pitching simulator.</p>
<p>&quot;The Dodgers bought it a week after we did, so it's pretty cool,&quot; Krueger said.</p>
<p>Those behind the recreation center say it's not just for show and fun. It's about bringing families and community to Williston.</p>
<p>The oil industry reshaped Williston and other oil patch communities by bringing in tens of thousands of workers to town lured by an almost nonexistent unemployment rate and high-paying jobs. But as the population has boomed, so did Williston's reputation as a temporary home.</p>
<p>At times, the boom outpaced the city's infrastructure, leading to housing shortages and skyrocketing rent prices. So, many workers live in what are called man camps, rows of prefabricated buildings outside of town where mud scrapers for boots line stairs to entrances.</p>
<p>&quot;When you have all these man camps, they're kind of a necessary evil, but you can't build a town on a man camp,&quot; Williston mayor Ward Koeser said. &quot;If you just build a town on a man camp, you don't have any teenagers to work at McDonalds, you don't have a spouse who might be a nurse at the hospital.&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;They might come here to find a job, but if you want them to bring their family here and stay here, you need to have quality of life,&quot; he added.</p>
<p>Krueger said 700 people attended the soft opening for the recreation center &mdash; which he calls &quot;a game-changer&quot; &mdash; earlier this week, and smiles abounded.</p>
<p>&quot;You know, I haven't seen that many people in one area in Williston happy in a long time, we've had a tough road here, when the boom hit, it was tough,&quot; he said.</p>
<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/WillistonOpen76millionRecCenter/3/31/2014 12:00:00 AMWilliston ARC to Open March 28&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
March 14, 2014<br />
For Immediate release<br />
For more information, contact Kelsie Ganyo at 701.774.9773<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Williston Area Recreation Center Grand Opening &nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
WILLISTON, N.D. &ndash; The Williston Area Recreation Center Grand Opening Ceremony will be held on March 28<sup>th</sup>, 2014 at 4:00pm.<br />
Williston Parks &amp; Recreation District Staff and Park Board Commissioners welcome everyone to this historical event.&nbsp; On Friday, March 28<sup>th</sup>, 2014 at 4:00pm there will be a short ceremony, than a ribbon cutting, followed by opening of the Williston ARC.&nbsp; We will have cookies, cake, food and refreshments and admission will be free of charge thru Monday March 31<sup>st</sup>.&nbsp; &nbsp;<br />
On Saturday, March 29, 2014 we invite everyone to enjoy the many activities that we have planned. Admission and all events are free.&nbsp; The building opens at 6:00am and we will start the day off with our first event at 9:30am with a 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk in the field house and on the walking track. &nbsp;At 10:15am we will have autographs with Katie Ledecky, Olympic Gold Medalist, World Record Holder and granddaughter of Kathleen and E.J. Hagan!&nbsp; At 11:00am we will dedicate the 50m Pool to E.J. Hagan, M.D. followed by Katie swimming the first lap in the newly named, Hagan Natatorium, everyone will be encouraged to watch Katie swim with the Sea Lions after her first lap.<br />
Please visit <a href="http://www.usaswimming.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=1453&amp;Alias=Rainbow&amp;Lang=en&amp;biosid=efc9df90-9a42-4929-b305-f94412a9e13c">http://www.usaswimming.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=1453&amp;Alias=Rainbow&amp;Lang=en&amp;biosid=efc9df90-9a42-4929-b305-f94412a9e13c</a> for more information on Katie Ledecky.<br />
<br />
<br />
From 12:00-4:00pm there will be a variety of free Fitness Classes and Youth Contests.<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 12:00-1:00pm&nbsp; Spin and Free Throw Competition<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1:00-2:00pm&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Group Circuits and Long Drive Competition<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2:00-3:00pm&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Yoga and Fastest Tennis Serve<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 3:00-4:00pm&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Kettlebell and Wiffleball Home Run Derby<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 4:00-5:00pm&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Spin and Wakeboard Competition<br />
With that said, we would like to thank the Williston Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Grand Williston Hotel, and Wal-Mart for their donations to help make this day complete.<br />
Williston Parks and Recreation District hopes that families will come on out to the Williston ARC and help us open up this beautiful facility for our community and region.<br />
For more information on the Grand Opening of the Williston ARC, contact Kelsie Ganyo at 701.774.9773 or kelsie@wprd.us. For other information regarding Williston Parks and Recreation District, visit www.willistonparks.com, call 701.774.9773, or stop by 1002 11<sup>th</sup> Street West, Williston, ND.&nbsp;<br />
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&nbsp;<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/News6/3/19/2014 12:00:00 AMWSC Opens Internship Housing ProgramWilliston State College has announced its summer internship housing program for students wanting a &ldquo;safe and convenient&rdquo; educational in-campus stay at Frontier Hall.
<p>Shanna Curlin, coordinator of conference services at WSC, said she hopes to spread the word to the &ldquo;many students across the state of North Dakota who may take the opportunity to intern in America&rsquo;s fastest growing town.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The deadline to apply for summer housing is April 15 and applications are available upon request.<br />
<br />
Williston Herald<br />
By Eric Killelea</p>
<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/News3/2/5/2014 12:00:00 AMCommercial space in the new apartment building on Williston State College campus is almost filled up.<p>Liza McLean, WSC Foundation Office Manager, says in addition to the new DMV Office that opened yesterday, other businesses on the 1st floor will be opening soon. &quot;Jimmy Johns is currently working on their space. &nbsp;Jason's Barbor Shop is going in one of the spaces and we have another tenant that is looking to go in there.&quot;</p>
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McLean says both the college and the neighborhood will benefit from the new businesses. &quot;With the rec center opening in March and the additional retail that's available to our students and staff right around that area...it'll be great for Williston State College.&quot;</p>
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McLean says there's a total of five retail spaces in the building with two spaces still available.</p>
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McLean says Jimmy John's should be opening by the end of February or early March.</p>
<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/News4/1/24/2014 12:00:00 AMBakken Perspective: The Land of OpportunityWilliston Mayor Ward Koeser discusses the benefits and impacts of oil and gas development and how, with vision and hard work, the community in western North Dakota can become bigger and better than ever.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vISLbfe5g0k&amp;list=UU__uUeX_gStry5t_4dGVb7w&amp;feature=share" target="_blank">Play You Tube video</a><br />
&nbsp;<br /><br />www.visitwilliston.com/news/News5/1/24/2014 12:00:00 AM